AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwired - May 03, 2017) - As mobile operators have deployed more LTE over the past few years, the demand for high speed mobile data has also increased. One way to supply that demand is for mobile operators to acquire more spectrum, but licensed spectrum is expensive and rare. The other option for mobile operators is to use unlicensed spectrum in one of two ways: offload traffic to a Wi-Fi network or use unlicensed spectrum (specifically, 5 GHz) for LTE.
Although a few years ago Wi-Fi Offload was seen as the primary method for mobile operators to take advantage of unlicensed spectrum, in the last two years, there has been significant interest in (and controversy surrounding) the use of LTE on unlicensed spectrum, specifically 5 GHz.
iGR, a market research consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile industry, has released a new market study that analyzes the unlicensed options available for mobile operators. First, it discusses both user-driven and carrier-driven Wi-Fi Offload and provides updates on the deployment of the related technologies. Next, it discusses several types of Unlicensed LTE technologies, including LTE-U, LAA, LWA and MulteFire, and gives updates regarding their deployment in the U.S.
"For many years Wi-Fi Offload has been one option for mobile operators seeking to ease the load on the mobile data network, and now a second option, Unlicensed LTE (specifically LTE-U), is finally off the ground," said Iain Gillott, president and founder of iGR. "In this study, we have quantified the impact of these technologies by forecasting how much data traffic will be put on each of these unlicensed spectrum technologies in the next five years."
iGR's new market study, U.S. Mobile Data on Unlicensed Spectrum Forecast, 2016-2021: How will Wi-Fi Offload and Unlicensed LTE help meet demand? discusses user-driven and carrier-driven Wi-Fi Offload and Unlicensed LTE. The study provides a five-year forecast, which shows the amount of U.S. Wi-Fi Offload and Unlicensed LTE traffic and how these numbers compare to the total amount of U.S. mobile data traffic.
The following key questions are addressed in the new research study:
- What is user-driven and carrier-driven Wi-Fi Offload?
- What are some of the key standards efforts associated with Wi-Fi offload?
- What are the benefits and issues associated with Wi-Fi offload?
- What is Unlicensed LTE?
- What is the 5 GHz band and why is it important?
- What are LTE-U, LAA, LWA and MulteFire? How are they the same? And how do they differ?
- What is Listen Before Talk and why is it important?
- What are the benefits and issues associated with Unlicensed LTE?
- When will Unlicensed LTE technology be deployed?
- How much U.S. mobile data traffic is expected to be put on unlicensed spectrum (using both Wi-Fi Offload and Unlicensed LTE) over the next five years?
The information in this market study will be valuable for:
- Mobile operators, particularly those servicing the U.S. market
- Mobile backhaul providers, including telcos and cable MSOs
- Wired and wireless backhaul vendors and solution providers
- Mobile OEMs, particularly those servicing the U.S. market
- Wired and wireless infrastructure vendors, particularly those servicing the U.S. market
- Financial and investment analysts.
The new study can be purchased and downloaded directly from iGR's website at www.iGR-inc.com.
About iGR
iGR is a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry. Founded by Iain Gillott, one of the wireless industry's leading analysts, in late 2000 as iGillottResearch, iGR is now in its seventeenth year of operation. iGR continuously researches emerging and existent technologies, technology industries, and consumer markets. We use our detailed research to offer a range of services to help companies improve their position in the marketplace, clearly define their future direction, and ultimately improve their bottom line.
iGR researches a range of wireless and mobile products and technologies, including: smartphones; tablets; mobile wearable devices; connected cars; mobile applications; bandwidth demand and use; small cell and het-net architectures; mobile EPC and RAN virtualization; DAS; LTE; VoLTE; IMS; NFC; GSM/GPRS/UMTS/HSPA; CDMA 1x/EV-DO; iDEN; SIP; macro-, pico- and femtocells; mobile backhaul; WiFi and WiFi offload; and SIM and UICC.
A more complete profile of the company can be found at www.igr-inc.com.
Contact Information:
Contact iGR
Iain Gillott